11 Reasons Your Dog Shouldn’t Sleep in Your Bed

Should I let my dog sleep in my bed with me? A question of great debate… For some owners, it has become routine for their canine companions to sleep in their bed of a nighttime, or even for a daytime nap – it is a popular practice! But the answer is not so straightforward.

This quite often depends… if both you and your dog are healthy, then it does not necessarily need to be avoided. The idea of cuddling up with your dog and falling asleep is a dream enough for most. However, there are a fair few reasons as to why letting your dog sleep in your bed is not such a good idea.

First, Hygiene

We’re sure you walk your dog over all sorts of terrains on all sorts of different adventures. Your dog may even roll around in goodness know what or go exploring through the bushes. It’s easy enough to clean off dirt when we spot it, but just because it isn’t obvious, it doesn’t mean that dirt and germs aren’t lingering in your dog’s coat, especially breeds with longer fur. 

Now, there is no need to bathe your dog every day, nor is it recommended, but this can pose a problem if you share a bed with them. As they toss and turn, they may rub off some dirt and germs on your duvet or mattress sheet. Then, you may then toss and turn in yourself. Not only that, but some dogs may drool in their sleep, too. All in all, it isn’t a clean practice.

It is uncommon that dogs pass on diseases to humans. It’s very rare for them to pass any via these routes, but we can never be too careful. If you or your dog are sick, or have a weakened immune system, then it is especially best to avoid sharing a bed with each other, just in case.

Accidents on The Bed

As dogs age, their bladders become weaker and they may leak when they lay down or sleep. So, your dog could wet your bed during the night, which isn’t particularly hygienic (as much as they can’t help it!). Accidents, of any kind, can happen to dogs of any age, though, especially if they are feeling poorly.

Allergies

A good chunk of the human population is allergic to dogs, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Some people with mild symptoms still own dogs!

Should your dog sleep in the bed with you, you will be repeatedly exposed to their pet dander (microscopic dead skin cells), as well as any dust or pollen which clings to their fur from being out and about on walks.

All the dander, dust, pollen and whatever else will cling to your bed coverings and can exacerbate any allergies. Even if you aren’t aware of any allergies, contact with these can cause symptoms such as coughing, a runny nose or itchy eyes.

Respiratory Symptoms

Similar to allergies, lying amongst dander, dust and pollen can result in respiratory symptoms. This isn’t good news for asthma sufferers.

These symptoms don’t just crop up when you are in bed with your dog, either. They can linger, meaning if you’re in bed and your pet isn’t, you could still suffer.

Territorial Behavior

Sharing a dog with your bed blurs the lines of your own personal space. If your dog gets into a habit of sleeping in your bed, they may come to see this as their space and become very territorial over it.

Territorial behavior can be shown as marking or reacting negatively to other people or pets. It can be amplified if your dog has a history of, or pre-existing resource guarding (guarding a particular object, such as a toy, that they do not want others to have).

This behavior is tricky, albeit possible, to resolve, and often requires input from a qualified behaviorist.

Sleep Quality

A fair few studies have all indicated that having a dog sleep on or in the bed with you can hinder your sleep. This can differ between light sleepers and deep sleepers. In fact, you may find you fall straight back to sleep after any disturbances.

Consistently having interrupted night’s sleep will build up and this can impact not only your immune system, but tiredness can make you grumpy, affecting your day-to-day life.

Dogs have the luxury of catching up with any lost sleep during the day, but (sadly!), we don’t, so it’s important we get a good kip during the night.

Separation Anxiety

There is no solid proof that sharing a bed with your dog can lead them to having separation anxiety. If they do, it is likely the result of multiple factors. However, if your dog becomes anxious when you leave them on your own, it is best to encourage them to sleep in their own bed. This will help build their confidence and sense of security.

Injury

It’s not so much of a task for us to get in and out of bed, but for our canine companions, especially the short-legged variety, it requires a bit more effort. Jumping in and out of bed can cause or worsen existing problems.

Dogs with a long and low build will be at risk of injuring their back, and for puppies whose bones are still growing, an injury could impact their development. For our older dogs, who are likely to have arthritis, jumping on and off our beds is not contusive to maintaining joint health either.

Furthermore, sleeping at a height could pose a danger if your dog is a fidgety sleeper and with little space, falls off the bed in the night. This could also happen if they are dreaming, or if they have a seizure.

Depending on where they lay, we could also kick or hit them accidentally in our sleep, and vice versa. It isn’t just our pets that are at risk of injury, though. We are at risk of falling out of the bed if our pet starfishes across the bed!

Parasites

With pets, can come parasites, and these critters are the last things you want in your bed! We wholly recommend keeping up to date with prescription strength parasite control, for many reasons, but there may always be a risk of them bringing fleas, ticks and worms into the bed.

Some of these parasites pose a zoonotic risk. They can carry disease which can be passed to humans, so it is particularly important to reduce this risk as best as possible.

Some parasites cannot be prevented, though, and a key one which is spread by skin-to-skin contact between dogs and humans is ringworm.

Your Relationship

If you share a bed with a partner, having one or more dogs can create somewhat of a crowd! For most, if not all of us, dogs are a part of our family, but that shouldn’t mean they can block romance or alone time between you and your partner. Going to bed at night and closing the door is often a sanctity for couples, so why not keep it that way?

Long-term Commitment

Once you’ve let your dog sleep in your bed a few times, this can be a hard habit to break and therefore could become a long-term commitment. Should this be the case, it will be difficult to manage if your dog becomes poorly, and you will likely have to make adaptations as your dog gets older, so they can access the bed more easily.

Giving them a safe space to sleep, in an easily reached place, can help navigate these problems, and you can still enjoy a snuggle on the sofa of an evening before going to bed!